So, I've finally acquired all the "right" stuff, aka neck thu guitar with coil-tapped humbuckers and a Cutler buffer, SMS classic, and a QSC PLX 1202. And after fidgeting with it all, I just can't get that sound that we all know and love. It all sounds rather tinny and not very guitar-like. I'm thinking it may be my Jerrycaster, because when I plug in some of my other guitars, it sounds much smoother, warmer, much more playable. But who knows. Any ideas??

It's a custom one, using your schematics, I believe. I previously was using CAE, which sounded very similar. I've got some Seymour Duncans, for now, but I'm going to probably spring for someSuper IIs pretty soon here. Could it merely be the pickups?

It is hard to actually tell you where your issue is without hearing it, But without certain gear Jerry's tone is tough to replicate. A buffer in general should brighten up the tone well enough, then having the right pickups and speakers are super important. Since you have the SMS you are most of the way there gear wise. you should have something close?

I have two guitars jerryfied and they sound different because they are constructed of different materials. Eventually I will have to move to a jerry build to knock my tone to the next level.... And of coarse, we all have to cop jerry technique to sound right too. Jerry played through a les paul, SG, Strat etc... so there are lots of "Eras" you can try and go for tone wise and sound like Jerry.

I think it may be the impedence... How the guitar is hitting the amp? I have a couple of Eminence Commonwealths, so no problems there. Maybe there is some sort of clipping device I can put before or after the preamp? I previously was running my guitar into a 5 watt Fender Vibro Champ XD on the "slightly overdriven" blackface setting, then from the line out into a Hot Rod Deville.. Could that have changed the signal that was hitting the Deville to high impedence?

So you are saying you have most of what you need, you are just tweaking it into perfection? usually If its "too clean" I will use a drive pedal. I have the same issue with my rig if its at a low volume. Its impossible to get the rig to do what I want when I have to play low. The pedals help but are NOT the same. It mixes ok within the band, but I can tell I am using the artificial version. I really don't know how the impedance would interact with all the components in your rig.

I have the same set up. SMS clasic with Jerry mod > QSC PLX 1202 > (1) 2x12 with E 120's. I have no problem with getting "the clean tone" without it being glassy or being too thin, either with a Strat (with blaster) for early Jerry years or the Schecter I routed and wired as a Tiger (including 3 super 2's, buffer and OBEL) for the later years.

I set the volume on the SMS at around 10 or 11 o'clock and the QSC PLX 1202 between 8 and 14 dB. I also set the pad control on the back of the SMS around 12 o'clock.

Let us know what guitar, pickups etc. you are using and how it's going.

FBlades95 wrote:It's a custom one, using your schematics, I believe. I previously was using CAE, which sounded very similar. I've got some Seymour Duncans, for now, but I'm going to probably spring for someSuper IIs pretty soon here. Could it merely be the pickups?

Cue obligatory line about tone being all in the hands...

But yes, it could have a lot to do with your pickups. You don't mention which model Duncans you have, but I'm not sure they even have a model that approaches the output of a Super II when in split-mode, and that could be the source of your "thinness".

Hippieguy, are you running your PLX on both channels? Or just left? Would you mind posting a little clip of your tone?

I've sort of figures out a temporary solution... I've been running into a Korg Pandoras Box, set with Blackface w/ mild breakup, then into the SMS, and so on. But.. It feels like such a waste, having this incredible preamp, and running some shitty digital box in front... Would an earthdrive do the trick? Or maybe some sort of analog Blackface pedal?

In my opinion, if you think your tone is too "tinny" or bright, I would look into getting some Dimarzio Dual Sounds instead of Super IIs. They were used in late Wolf, and early Tiger, so you could absolutely get great Jerry tone with em. Then, just lots of messing with the knobs

I have two Strat's I am modding - one the simple route - just a Blaster and some D Allen Voodoo 69's - upgraded tone and vol pots of course, but nothing too far out - it's an ash bodied Strat with a maple neck.

The other one, my #1 guitar, is a real beauty of a Strat - gorgeous ash body with a bird's-eye maple neck and fretboard. It will get the full treatment - I have the buffer already (gotta get some more parts ) - but as I really dig the JGB Feb -> March 1980 tone I have a Mesa Mark IIA and a JBL K-120 2x12 - the ash/birds-eye maple combo is bright sounding as is so I am going to put the Dual Sounds in it - should sound pretty good. We'll see,,,,,,

FBlades95 wrote: I've sort of figures out a temporary solution... I've been running into a Korg Pandoras Box, set with Blackface w/ mild breakup, then into the SMS, and so on. But.. It feels like such a waste, having this incredible preamp, and running some shitty digital box in front... Would an earthdrive do the trick? Or maybe some sort of analog Blackface pedal?

You definitely shouldn't be running anything into the preamp. Get some DiMarzio Super Distortions (not Super IIs). Maybe you'll like them in humbucking (series) mode? That will fatten up the sound. It's a good sound.

for starters, with the input impedance of 7k for the QSC PLX1202, if you have a .02uf or .1uf output cap in your preamp, your High Pass filters corner frequencies will be 1137.4Hz and 227.5Hz respectively. you want that somewhere around 40Hz. the mac has an input impedance of 200k used with a .02uf output capacitor, that high pass filter is right at 39.8Hz.

this is not the only reason why a mac sounds so much better then almost all other amps in the JG context, but is a pretty big reason. when that input impedance is low like the QSC's, ALL the bass frequency energy is gone, and there is really no way to get it back. not only that but you alter the tonestack voicing, which is a part of the JG equation, trying to compensate for the loss. the cure is matching the output capacitor to the input impedance of the amp used. in this QSC context, you want to use something like a .56uF polyester film output capacitor in the preamp of use.

So, Waldo (or anyone else), would you suggest looking into a power amp that is designed for guitar? Don't really want to have to go the Mac route, I'd like something lighter, smaller, more modern and reliable. Does anything else exist like this? Maybe the Rocktron Velocity? Also, maybe, is there something besides the Pandora's Box effect that I can use to warm up the signal?